Archive for the 'Sports' Category

F1 2010 : Disgraceful Act Of Ferrari In German GP

Published on July 26, 2010 in Sports. View Comments

I have been a Ferrari fan for as long as I have watched F1. But I cannot condone the way Ferrari shamelessly asked Massa to give up his lead and let his team mate win. It was so blunt and straightforward message that even a fool would understand it.

Fernando is faster than you. Can you confirm you understood that message?

They did not even try to hide their intention. And since the transmission radio is now open to public, everyone heard it. And our very professional Massa slowed down his car and let Alonso pass.

Good lad. Just stick with it now. Sorry.

Was how the Ferrari pit crew appreciated this cowardly act.

A lot of things happen behind the curtains in F1. Although team orders have been banned after the Michael Schumacher [Ferrari, Australian GP], teams do send out coded messages which reveal such intentions. However, these are usually done towards the end of the season, when only one of the drivers have any chance of winning the championship. Such a decision is understandable. But to enforce such ordering at just the mid season is just wrong.

But I refuse to point the blame at only Ferrari. Everyone, including Alonso and Massa, were guilty of showing us a manufactured race. Just a few laps ago Alonso had tried a passing move on Massa. However, a couple of corners and Massa was able to regain his lead. Alonso’s reaction to this on his radio was

This is ridiculous!

Clearly, Ferrari must have set the driver orders even before the race started, and when Massa overtook Alonso, whereby defying the team order, Alonso was irritated. And if we couple this incident with Luca Montezemolo’s statement just a few days ago saying Ferrari were still aiming to win the championships leaves no doubt that Massa had been made the scapegoat. This does not augur well for a F1 fan.

Alonso might have been quicker than Massa, but that does not mean he has the right to be ahead of him. The highest paid driver should have fought for the position, and given a faster car, if he really had superior skills he could have forced Massa into an error and taken the lead.

I blame Massa for not having the balls to stand up to the order. He has been with Ferrari for so many years, and yet gets treated like a secondary driver. I am no Massa fan. His response to the media saying he is a professional just doing his job, cuts out a sorry figure of a guy who just the last year was made a Ferrari hero. He should have spoken out like Webber did in the last race when the team favored Vettel.

Ferrari is set for a hearing with the WMSC. Whatever the ruling of the committee is I hold Ferrari guilty of fixing a brilliant race. Massa had started the race well, and he did deserve to win the race.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Chelsea Song – Blue Is The Colour

Published on June 30, 2010 in Sports. View Comments

Popularity: 2% [?]

Chelsea Songs

Published on June 21, 2010 in Sports. View Comments

A few Chelsea songs that I liked:

Carefree:

Carefree
Where-ever you may be
We are the famous CFC
And we don’t give a fuck
Who-ever you may be
Cause we are the famous CFC

Blue Is The Colour:

Blue is the colour, football is the game
We’re all together, and winning is our aim
So cheer us on through the sun and rain
’cause Chelsea, Chelsea is our name
Here at the Bridge whether rain or fine
We can shine all the time
Home or away, come and see us play
You’re welcome any day
Blue is the colour, football is the game
We’re all together, and winning is our aim
So cheer us on through the sun and rain
’cause Chelsea, Chelsea is our name

Come to the Shed and we’ll welcome you
Wear your blue and see us through
Sing loud and clear until the game is done
Sing Chelsea everyone.

Blue is the colour, football is the game
We’re all together, and winning is our aim
So cheer us on through the sun and rain
’cause Chelsea, Chelsea is our name
Here at the Bridge whether rain or fine
We can shine all the time
Home or away, come and see us play
You’re welcome any day
Blue is the colour, football is the game
We’re all together, and winning is our aim
So cheer us on through the sun and rain
’cause Chelsea, Chelsea is our name

Popularity: 3% [?]

2010 WC Finals : Germany vs Australia – Beautiful

Published on June 14, 2010 in Sports. View Comments

It was a wonderful game yesterday. I was amazed at the fluency with which the young German midfielders passed the ball around. At every chance they spurt forwards creating a goal scoring opportunity. 4-0 is a scoreline any team would be excited with, but I think the Germans could have won by a bigger margin.

With the likes of Ballack and Frings missing, I was skeptical of this young and relatively unknown group of players. To add to that, Podolski and Klose were coming after a difficult season with their respective clubs. But the two have a knack of lifting their game when they put on the white jersey of the national team. And they did that again tonight. You could see the brilliance of Podolski feeding crosses for Klose from the left wing. Klose though failed to grab them, and you could see his agony and the frustration.

The movements of Ozil and Khedira were troubling the Australians already.  Muller made it worse with his forward runs. It was simply amazing to watch them take control and dictate the pace of the game. And then Podolski scored!!! A powerful shot into the nets, even the palm of the Australian goalkeeper could not keep it away. But when Klose headed the ball home I had tears in my eyes. He sliced himself between the keeper and a defender to win the ball and head it right into the nets. This might be his last world cup finals, and I really want that guy to net another 5 goals this summer.

What excited me the most was the youthful energy of this team. They were ready to press ahead. As a fan commented:

Germany has evolved ever since Klinasmann took the helm. The days of slow build up play followed by a cross/header attempt are over. Although the Germans dont have 1 world class striker they have proven several players can slice through defences like a shark in water and put the ball in the back of the net. Now lovely through balls and tic-tac-toe passes are the heart of the german offence. However the Defence and Keepers have yet to prove themselves for this German side as I belive they are the weaklink.

The real test of this young side will be in the knockout stages when they run into the likes of Spain and England. It is then that the youth vs. experience will be tested, and we shall know if the 20-somethings of this starting 11 have it in them to cope up with the pressure. I have faith in the youthful energy of this reinvigorated German team, and even if they fail to reach the final, I am sure they will provide an entertaining and spectacular game of football.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Three Manager Quotes I Liked

Published on May 24, 2010 in Sports. View Comments

I was going through this article wherein the author has compiled a list of 50 managerial quotes.

Top 50 Managerial Quotes Of All Time

I read only the top 10. Of those 10, there were 3 that I loved. They are:

  • Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson
  • My greatest challenge is not what’s happening at the moment, my greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their fucking perch. And you can print that.
  • Liverpool’s Bill Shankly
  • Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I’m very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.
  • Chelsea’s Jose Mourinho
  • Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m European champion and I think I’m a special one.

Popularity: 5% [?]

F1 2010: Bahrain GP – The Most Soporific Race Ever

Published on March 16, 2010 in Sports. View Comments

For all its pre-season hype, the excitement of having 4 champions on track, the eagerness to get a competitive Ferrari back on tract, the season opener couldn’t be a more boring car procession.The front runners, the ones having the fastest cars, just followed each other around the track completing the mandatory 49 laps without trying any overtaking maneuver. And the new regulation of fueling ban ensured that the nothing exciting could even happen during the pit stops.

The qualifying was the first to signal that something is not right. Until the last year, Q2 used to see the cars go zoom-broom at top speeds. Then the Masters of Strategy would work out a fuel strategy to give their drivers the best shot at glory. This did mean that slower cars could end up in front of faster ones, but at least it did mix the grid up a bit, and then the pit stops would become interesting. The new format of having no fuel strategy for Q2 and Q3 somehow reduced the charm of Q3. And when Vettel set the fastest Q2 lap, it was only a matter of wait and watch to see Vettel do it again in Q3. After all, there is no change in the car from Q2 to Q3. So the result of Q2 and Q3 should be the same, unless of course one of our drivers gets nervous and commits a mistake, something we saw Webber do. Or else if you were foolish enough like Adrian Sutil to be the only driver running on Hard than the Super Softs which the remaining 9 had chosen.

After qualifying we knew who the fastest guy was – Vettel. We also knew that Alonso and Massa were strong. But when everybody starts the race with the same amount of fuel, and when you expect everybody to come into the pits at almost the same time, and when you already know that to overtake the car in front you need to be 2-3 seconds faster which you are not, then where the hell did FIA see an opportunity for the drivers to overtake one another?

Another impact of removing refueling was that drivers chose to dive into pits only once, and play it safe on the track to conserve their tires.

For all the talk about reducing cost associated with getting a team ready for a race, and lessening the impact of machinery on race result, FIA has made the race day boring. Perhaps it were the slow corners of Bahrain which wasn’t the ideal place to judge the new regulations, or perhaps I was expecting just too much, but I wasn’t impressed with the show. If the same repeats for a few more races, F1 might face an even greater scare than all the scams, match-fixing and recession of the past couple of years. With a dwindling fan base, they need to do a quick rethinking.

Congrats to Alonso and Schumacher. Is this the beginning of the end of Schumacher – Ferrari legacy? Will Alonso become the next Schumacher of Ferrari? I certainly hope so. And I think the next season will once again be Schumacher vs. Alonso – one last time, and I will put my bet on Schumacher to walk away with the title. That would most certainly be a fairy tale end to a great illustrious career.

Popularity: 6% [?]

F1 2010: New Season, New Expectations

Published on March 10, 2010 in Sports. View Comments

I have been watching F1 regularly since 2006 and this is the first time that 4 world champions will be on the grid at the same time! No wonder I am so excited and eager to get the season started. My ears have tired of waiting to hear the commentator say – “And the Bahrain GP is GO“. And just like the millions of fans across the globe, I too have lots of expectations from this season after the boring last one.

What makes the 2010 season fantastic is the return of God of Racing – Michael Schumacher. The seven time world champion is desperate to get started again. His enthusiasm shows his want for F1 racing again after a break of 3 years. And who better to have as team principal than Ross Brawn. The duo have won seven championships. I don’t care if it is not Ferrari they represent now. Schumacher is great at developing the car, and I am sure that if not this season then the next one will definitely be his.

The pre season testing for Brawn has not been as awesome as last years. The last year they had the fastest car and it showed right from the first lap of testing. This year though Brawn has accepted that they might be slightly off the pace. In the longer runs Mercedes car has managed to show consistency and speed, but it is with the lower levels of fuels that they are not sure about. The other cars seems to be quicker than Mercedes when running on fumes.

Speculations and rumors though refuse to die down around Brawn and Schumacher. Apparently Brawn has declared that they have a piece of technology which did not require testing and to design it they went till the limit of rules. Obviously reporters have been buzzing about the possibility of a new design of diffuser which would boost the performance of their car by a second or two per lap. And if this turns out to be true, then the championship is already Michael’s.

The testing though showed Ferrari to be the pick of the lot. They have got the pace to challenge for the championship. And Alonso is a shrewd driver. He is just as good in developing his car and extracting that last bit of performance. People have already tipped him to be clear favorite for drivers title. I just want to see Alonso and Michael battle it all out just the way they used to earlier. I just cannot make up my mind who to support – Michael or the team I have always liked, Ferrari. Michael was the reason I started watching F1, and Ferrari the reason I continued watching it after Michael left. Picking one is tough.

The return of Massa after the tragic accident is being highlighted too. He was quick during the practice sessions. But how competitive he will be compared to Alonso is doubtful. Alonso might perhaps carve out a place for himself just like Schumacher did. Alonso has already declared that he would like Ferrari to be his team when he retires. Also Luca Montezemolo has declared that all great drivers ultimately end up at Ferrari. I think if it comes to choosing between Alonso and Massa, Ferrari might prefer Alonso.

A lot of focus is being put on Hamilton and Button. I am given to understand that the Hamilton-Alonso saga, which nearly destroyed the McLaren team a couple of years ago, has been a valuable lesson for the team in management of resources. However the Hamilton-Kovaleinen partnership suggests otherwise. McLaren has been Hamiltons’ team and I think it will continue to be his. A few measure like shuffling of staff has been made to make Button happy regarding equality of driver, but pretty soon Button will realise that perhaps it was not for nothing that Alonso cribbed so much while at McLaren. How soon will trouble emerge could be an interesting bet.

But the most promising rising star on the grid has been Seb Vettel. The German has won lots of accolades for his driving in the wet. The last season with Red Bull, he did mount a serious challenge to the championship despite his car not having the double diffuser. Horner is a great designer of car, and it was mostly his ability that pushed RBR to the front. This year they have gone a step forward. With refuelling banned for the races, pit stops shall only have a change of tires, adjustments to the wing and a few minor changes if required. RBR has gone on record saying their pit crew has worked hard the whole winter and they have come up with a modified methodology which enables them to complete the pit stop in less than 2 seconds. Less than 2 seconds !!! You got to be kidding me. Thats lightening quick.

Last but not the least, with Max Mosely gone, politics should see a drastic reduction. Jean Todt is more than able person to be replacing him. A joke I read somewhere -

What could be the worst thing that Jean Todt does in the first year of his office?

Cry his tears out when Schumacher wins his first race.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Off The Field Drama

Published on June 14, 2009 in Sports. View Comments

Contrary to the expectation, sports these days seems to be more interesting off the field. The on field action has become quite predictable and boring. Off-the-field however, stories evolve as ego clash.

F1 has literally shifted from on-track racing to board room meetings and negotiations. Ferrari is already out of the championship. So they seem to have devoted all their time to countering Max Mosely. Being the head of FOTA, they are pretty much in the drivers seat making all the crucial decisions. Thus we see Ferraris’ decision being backed by FOTA. And when Williams decided to leave the ranks and sign up for next years championship, they were suspended from FOTA.

Ferrari and FIA are aiming blows after blows at each other, refusing to buckle down below the other’s ego. And Bernie finds himself amidst this confusion, knowing pretty well that despite what Mosely says Ferrari’s role in F1 cannot be undermined. If Ferrari decides to pull out, Bernie could lose a lot, unless he manages to recover the loss by filing law suitz against Ferrari.

McLaren have decided to keep mum. Their position is understandable. Just recently they were pardoned for their lie to the stewards and are compelled to remain quite. However, even their participation next year is subject to conditions.

Its so sad for Brawn and Red Bull that all the drama had to unfold this year. Being the two leading teams, any other year they would have been the main target for the journalists and would have made it to the top of the magazine covers every issue. This year though, their achievement has been overshadowed by all the altercations and threats to sue.

But F1 is not the only sport attracting interest. Elsewhere in the world of soccer, Real Madrid has gone back to its big budget spending ways, tempting Kaka and Ronaldo to joing and resurrect a dying team. Playing second fiddle to Barcelona the whole of last year, Real have splashed lots of money to ensure that big names play for it once again. Kaka and Ronaldo should definitely strengthen the mid field. They are also looking to land in David Villa, but the deal has not been confirmed yet.

Chelsea should be the most worried at this time. With Deco declaring his interst to move away from Stamford Bridge and Caravalho also wanting to rejoin with Murinho, theirs is a depleted side. Their bid for Villa was rejected and Chelsea obviously will not be able to meet Manchester United in the pursuit of Frank Ribery. Pato wants to talk to his former manager before confirming his contract at AC Milan, but Milan spokesperson has ensured that Pato stays at Milan. Ageing squad of Chelsea needs more than one fresh pair of legs to challenge ManU or Liverpool.

Sir Alex also has a daunting task on his hands. He now needs to find a winger as good as Ronaldo, which is almost next to impossible. The void left by Ronaldo shall not be easy to fill. Despite what the ManU fans feel, Ronaldo was instrumental in setting up many victories single handedly.

Cricket has become more boring than ever. I shall not even waste another line to talk about it.

The next few weeks shall be quite interesting. F1 sees teams and administration go into a war. And the transfer market couldn’t have been more interesting than it already has become. La Liga shall not be a one sided affair the coming season. I hope more big names transfer this year. And for god’s sake, somebody come to Chelsea.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Three Race ban For McLaren

Published on April 30, 2009 in Sports. View Comments

But guess what ! The ban comes with a string attached. The ban is hereby “SUSPENDED” unless any mor fresh evidence against McLaren is revealed or if McLaren makes a smilar fiasco in the next 12 months. Is this a joke ! FIA should have made this announcement on the 1st of April instead, at least there would have been a few takers.

After all the speculations and debates as to what would be a just penalty for a team that thought lying is a better way to achieve glory, this was a shameful anti-clmax. A general sentiment echoed by most of the fans was of a constructor points deduction or of a single match ban. The earlier option was a better one as it sought to punish the team McLaren for instructing Hamilton to lie and yet allow Hamilton to maintain his stake for the world championship.

But as declared, McLaren are free to race with no punishment what so ever. However, if any fresh evidence becomes public showing McLaren scheming to grab the third place by lying, then they will be handed the three race ban. Ridiculous ! How many more reasons does one need to conclude that the pair were lying in the face of the stewards. And what other motive can there be except to gain an advantage. A second criteria for the suspended ban to become active is if McLaren indulges in any wrong doing in the next 12 months. This looks like a mother telling her child not to be mischievious, unless he wants to fofeit his chocolate for a day.

The FIA took a stance that mcLaren had brought the sport into disrepute by lying. Its intentions were always to punish McLaren. A mild pnishment for the constructors would have done. but showing complete leniency in this regard invites other teams to use unfair means too.

What the FIA chose to do was play politics. Yes, nothing but politics. The intended target was always Ron Dennis. He eventually succumbed to the overall pressure and had to throw in his towel. Mosely should now be feeling quite relaxed with Ron out of the way.

I personally did not want the McLaren team to he handed a heavy penalty. Afterall, the diffuser row was enough to distract the atention from the main agenda of the sport, and these court ruling should be kept to bare minimum. But why make all the fuss and then shy away. FIA has got no balls. Ferrari has always ruled the sport. FIA has been afraid of Ferrari breaking away. Now McLaren joins the rank. Welcome to a New World Order wherein the organisation chosen to govern the teams is being governed by the teams themselves.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Liargate Issue Blown Out Of Proportion

Published on April 23, 2009 in Sports. View Comments

No, I am no fan/supporter of McLaren F1 team and neither do I like or have any sympathetic feelings towards anyone working for the Woking based team. Yet the latest events – the Liargate issue – makes me sit up and feel sorry for McLaren.

A season already in torubled waters, thanks to the double-diffuser row, does not need another fiasco. Although three races have been raced already, the most engaging actions have taken place out of the race track. The latest of which is the hearing coming up later next week to decide a punishment for McLaren. And the rumours don’t help either.

Talks about McLaren being banned for the championship or being fined heavily is doing rounds. But taking such stern actions, is it really the need of the hour. A season which was hit by withdrawl of Honda, does not need to see the grid size reduced to 18 cars. Also, taking note of the recession, a heavy fine would cribble McLaren for the season and might perhaps leave them short of sponsorers.

Rules are not meant to be observed in words, but are just general guidelines – is what I believe in. FIA needs someone to stuff some sense into themselves to make such a big issue out of a lie. What should have ended with McLaren being banned from the Australian GP has now moved to courts and requires hearing to settle the matter. All this negative publicity has already a few fans away from the sport.

It’s high time for both Berlie and Mosely to leave their office and take a not-so-well-earned break. That’ll perhaps be the best thing they could do for the sport. It’s time for the focus to shift back to the racing grid where the bulk of action takes place.

Man proposes, God disposes – seems to be so true in this context. With the McLaren issue not out of way, Flavio has stirred up another unrest in FOTA regarding the payment of travel compensation to BrawnGP, More on that later.

Ohh, how I wish things get back to normal.

Popularity: 1% [?]